A smoke detector alerted a Writtle mother who rushed her three children to safety as clothes being dried in their kitchen erupted in flames on Wednesday afternoon.
A neighbour with a garden hose tacked the blazing clothing until Chelmsford firefighters arrived.
The fire at Wykeham Road near St John's Green is believed to have been caused when one of the three young children turned on a cooker ring.
A Red Watch spokesman said: "It was a case that so much underlines the importance of smoke alarm equipment. The fire was restricted to the cooker area but the smoke has caused a bit of a mess through the house although not enough to render the family homeless."
Essex Fire and Rescue Service is to launch a smoke alarm campaign for Christmas.
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